Nepenthe

"Yinglong... Release him. We should not interrogate him when he is psychologically impaired like that." Yea, that's right, Ddraig, you've got some level of sanity compared to this chick.

"Humph, fine. As long as if I get to hold him after!"

"Please think of others at times like these. Now, boy, you will be answering my questions honestly." Ddraig stared at me with burning eyes of animosity.

I nodded my head fervently, it's not like I can't as of this moment. Two girls with kung fu powers and Wonder Woman-esque grips, I can't fight back or run now.

"What you said before, about the drug... You are telling the truth, are you not?"

"Jia managed to regain some of her memories from the drug. She said that she was given the drug, Nepenthe, in order to seal her memories away. And you all were given the drug as well to seal your memories away for some reason! I don't know why you caught me like this, but if you're doing this under the orders of whomever Jia escaped from... THEY gave you the drug, you're being controlled damn it!" I gave my hopefully convincing spiel, which didn't prove as effective as I hoped but it did go as I expected.

Yinglong hummed away happily without a care in the world, she is the true epitome of ignorance is bliss. Ddraig on the other hand, well, at least she looked thoughtful. Even so, all I could see on Ddraig was a perfect poker face as she looked upwards.

"...Yinglong, you keep him back. We will interrogate him later. I need to find Apophis, she's late." Ddraig said passively.

"Really! Really, really? Yay! Maybe we'll have to take the scenic route, I don't get to walk with a cute guy like you often." Yinglong was clearly overjoyed, completely oblivious to the situation at hand.

Ddraig turned around and dashed off away, eventually turning and escaping my view.

"Hey, do you like the rain?"

What? Yinglong asked a strange question despite her apparently holding me hostage.

"Uh, pardon?"

"I want to know if you like the rain? I sure do."

"Well, depending on how the weather's been, I find the rain quite pleasant." I saw no reason not to answer, though I realized I was falling to her pace.

"Oh goody! Be-cause, if you didn't... I'd have to hurt you! Really badly! Now, let's go take a romantic, rainy walk down the street!" The hell?

If I saw a way to escape, I would have taken it. Though this Yinglong immediately grabbed onto my arm with her strange grip and latched on as if I was melded with her body.

Uh, sorry Jia. I don't think I can come home and cook tonight.

-

"That capriciousss minx is holding him and left? Were we not going to beat him until he told usss where Fucanglong wasss? Then where is ssshe now?"

Thirty minutes had passed. Ddraig was running alongside Apophis as they jumped from rooftop to rooftop, which was not all the hard considering their athletic abilities.

Ddraig had found Apophis minutes earlier standing among several dead bodies. They were the security guards that originally took Apophis away. They no doubt saw that Apophis had a dangerous weapon on her. Which was known as a khopesh, or a sickle-sword that was wielded by ancient Egyptians. Each of the test subjects among the facility that Apophis, Ddraig, and Yinglong lived in wielded a weapon of their choice, or went with their fists like Fucanglong.

The khopesh was not stained with blood, as Apophis did not to wield her weapon on such weak beings that dared to take her in custody.

The two had finally found their way to the alleyway where the boy and Yinglong should have been, but they unsurprisingly were gone, most likely due to Yinglong's frivolous nature.

As Apophis had said, Ddraig had planned to interrogate the boy fully, so that they may divulge Fucanglong's location and take her in. Yet, that idiotic Yinglong...

"That brat, she cannot sit still for more than fifteen seconds. And of all times with that boy? Let's split up and find her. Don't even bother waiting for each other, interrogate the boy on the spot." Ordered Ddraig.

Apophis hissed under her breath, she disliked taking orders and secretly told herself that she would kill Y Ddraig Goch someday if she continued. Snakes like Apophis were very solitary.

"Fine. I may just kill that boy when I'm done with him. Yinglong hasss made far too much trouble and I will vent my anger with the interrogation." And she meant it. Apophis was not a forgiving woman.

-

"Ah... Cahlan. Where are... You?" Asked a worried Jia. It had been long past time for her beloved to come home, and she was quite worried. After all, who else could cook in their household?

It wasn't long until Jia found herself searching the streets of the city for Callan. A faint feeling in her told her to walk along the riverbank, she deftly believed Callan would be somewhere along there. After all, she could feel his presence being associated with water. And the only body of water large enough was the river that ran through the city.

Jia was captivated with the numerous sights that she laid her eyes upon: blossoming trees, flocks of ducks and their ducklings, a bundle of balloons being sold, and even a stand selling hotdogs and popsicles (which was what caught Jia's eye the longest, though she abstained because she believe Callan would get mad if she ate all willy-nilly).

She could even feel the hot air of the seasons immerse itself with her body. She stared longingly at the frozen goodness that was named ice cream and popsicles, though after staying with Callan, she knew how to act in public and could not beg for food. It was an impolite thing to do. Still, that didn't stop Jia from spectating the frozen goods the children ate in order to stave off the heat. While the people of the city suffered in the intense hot weather, Jia simply shrugged it off, even under her long sleeved clothes, as she just felt as if the heat wouldn't get to her, it was an odd but pleasant sensation.

Jia stared at the sights everywhere she went, even the unattractive ones such as numerous signs of graffiti and vandalism that covered the cement floodwalls.

The world was a place of true beauty, not even in its darkest depths would there not be a shred of beauty. That was what Jia believed. The only way one may rise from despair and loneliness is if they sought out the world, if they broke the cage that enclosed them and decided that they would seek their future instead of letting it come to them. Even those who lost themselves in sorrow, either from a dead loved one or a separate matter, all they needed to do look beyond their hollow cage and touch the outside.

The darkness of the facility, Jia truly feared that place. There was no laughter, no greenery, and certainly none of the man she truly cared for. The souls of her sisters, of Callan, and herself were all in peril if they went or stayed there, she MUST find her sisters and set them free. That was what Jia's mind was telling herself, what her memories told her.

Her sisters... "This smell... One... Of them is... Nearby." It was an alarming coincidence. To be searching for Callan and to find one of her sisters... "This smell... One... Of them is... Cahlan. He is... With my... Sister."

That was why she felt her beloved's presence was near water... It was because Callan was near one of her sisters. Jia didn't fully understand who she was or her sisters, all she did know from her memories was that she existed, and so did her sisters. "Kah... What is... This?"

Jia clutched her head in agony, as another rush of memories flooded her mind. When the pain passed, Jia recollected herself. What she remembered wasn't much, but it was important. She knew all the more that she find Callan... And rescue him.

-

"I, uh, don't suppose you could release your grip? It's kind of embarrassing to be this close." I said somewhat apologetically.

The woman beside me, who had me in her ultra-super-fantastical-mega-gravitational hold of steel, looked at me dreamily, completely unaware of my discomfort. "Why would I? I already said you're just my type! So cute and huggable, just like a big old teddy!"

What is she? A god damn twelve year old?

"Then can you seriously stop staring at me so intently? I feel like I'm in front of a gathering of cardinals... Whatever that means." I muttered off at the end.

Yinglong then instantly turned her head away. No way, did my words have an effect? Does she hate cardinals? Is it the bird cardinal or the old white guy in a religious outfit cardinal?

I moved my gaze towards where Yinglong's eyes were, straight at Jia.

"Sister, it's been awhile."

"Release... Cahlan... Now." Jia's voice was stern, far different than I had witnessed it being spoken before when she was with me.

"Nuh-uh! He's too cute for me to stop holding him now." Yinglong shook her head in a mordant manner. "Beeeesides, I originally came here to bring you back, sister. By force or not... Won't you come back peacefully?"

Jia stiffened, "I do not... Want to... Go back to... That... Cage. There is... No life... No laughter... No color." Jia's voice resembled her constant monotone style, though her words were littered with hints of cold melancholy. "Do you... Not... Remember... Nepenthe?"

Yinglong tilted her head boldly, "Eh? What's a Nepenthe? Is it good to eat?"

Good lord, don't tell me this girl also gorges herself on every bit of food she scrounges.

"No, damn it! Those suits, they gave you a drug called Nepenthe which takes away or seals your memories, it turns you into an amnesiac!" I called out desperately, hoping to get through Yinglong's thick skull. "You're being manipulated by whoever gave you the drug! Just like Jia and your two friends or sisters!"

"What's an amnesiac? Really, cute boy, I have no idea what you are talking about. In any case, I need you to close those lovely lips of yours so that I may bring in sister, by force." Yinglong pushed me onto a bench where I was forced to sit down. She reached inside her clothes and pulled out a folded metal stick, which she extended into an at least a two meter long staff where deadly blades were attached.

The weapon she pulled out was called a Ji, a type of Chinese halberd. It had a spear tip for piercing and two inwardly curved blades attached to the sides. Wait, is this even legal?

A commotion was forming around the area as several groups of people started spectating the situation between these two pretty Chinese girls. One asked, "They filming a movie?" Another said, "Got some kick-ass kung fu action goin' on over here!" And one crude voice said to this friend, "Hey, that one girl has got some nice tits." Hey now, that's Jia you're talking about.

Yinglong formed a wicked smile on her face as she twirled her Ji around and pointed it at Jia. It was obvious that Yinglong had some measure of skill in the weapon, could Jia even cope? Wait, why am I letting a girl fight my battles.

"Hey, just stop-" I at least tried to break up the fight, though Yinglong pushed me back on the bench with the back of the Ji. Every time I tried to stand up, all she did was simply shove me back down with the back end of her weapon. "JIA! JUST RUN AWAY!"

Jia stood still and said, "No... Cahlan. I must... Repay your... Kindness. I will save... You." I thought that Jia was about to take out a weapon of her own for a second, though instead she opted for taking a martial arts type stance. Wait, are they really going to fight in front of all these people? What the hell!

Yinglong attacked first, stabbing the Ji several times at Jia. I winced at first, thinking that Jia got skewered, though I was surprised and relieved to find out that Jia nimbly dodged each attack while standing still. As Yinglong stabbed once more in Jia's direction, Jia tilted to the side and pulled the Ji towards her while also flinging a chop at Yinglong's neck. And I thought again that a painful moment would occur, only to find Yinglong bended her neck back to duck under Jia's chop.

Just where did these girls learn these things? This is top Hollywood stunt stuff...

"Sister, you're as good as Y Ddraig said... She remembered fighting you before, in the facility, and said that your skills were not to be underestimated. I can't believe you can fight me on par when I have a weapon like this! I might embarrass myself in front of that cute guy!" Yinglong said cheerfully without paying attention to the mood.

Jia frowned, "Cahlan... Is mine... Not yours." Jia attacked with a seemingly crazy style of attack that involved flinging her arms in various directions in order to knock the Ji away and attack Yinglong.

Really, that makes me feel good when you say that, honest.

Yinglong swerved and sliced around at Jia's chest horizontally and as the Ji turned in her direction, she ducked down and sliced again at Jia's legs, intent on hamstringing Jia. Jia sidestepped the attack, jumping off to the side and onto a small rock. She jumped off and shot a hook kick at Yinglong's chest.

Oi! This is getting pretty amazing here.

I knew movements like these were possible, martial artists in videos or tournaments have demonstrated them, but seeing it here firsthand, it looked very amazing... And impossible, yet it still happened. I didn't even know my legs could bend like that.

Yinglong blocked the kick with the middle of her Ji and grabbed Jia's legs with one hand and swung it over her body and onto the ground. First off, you had to be exceptionally strong to pull off a move like that. Second off, it would be near impossible to grab someone as they kicked and even do that. And thirdly, how the hell did a girl like this Yinglong even get that strong?

Jia slammed into the ground, kicking up dust. She let out a short, but anguished, groan as she picked herself up, pulling her body together. Some blood could be seen on her lips, Jia must have bit her mouth upon impact. She wiped it away and resumed her stance.

The crowd started getting restless, question the legality and authenticity of the current situation. One woman was even calling what I assumed was nine one one for the police.

I couldn't help but wipe my brow for the sweat, which was partially because of the intense summer heat and the pressure from the potentially deadly situation here.

Numerous times during the fight, I called out Jia's name each time she got hit or cut. Thankfully she received no serious injuries, but I knew it was only a matter of time.

Still, it was not like the battle was completely one sided. If I had to use my amateurish commentary on the skills of the two girls, I would say that Jia was the more skilled one. Though Yinglong breached that skill level with her weapon. Also, she had the psychological resilience with her. Jia must have been worrying about me the whole time. Thus it was completely realistic to say that Jia, despite inflicting several hard attacks on Yinglong, will lose the fight. I had to do something.

At this point, the crowd had reached the point where there were people on all sides of us, taking photos, videos, and calls while watching the intense kung fu battle between two hot girls.

A police officer eventually closed in on the situation, two of them entered the circle.

The first one got in between of the two girls and shouted, "Hey, hey, break it up! Put the weapon away now-" His attempt to defuse the situation failed, as Yinglong swept the officer's legs away and slammed the back end of the Ji down on his temple, knocking him out.

The second officer pulled out his gun, "Miss, put the weapon down and put your hands up in the air! You have just assaulted an officer of the law-" He too, failed to stop Yinglong, though this time Jia was the one to knock out the officer with a sharp blow to the back of the neck.

The crowd let out a collective gasp and fled the scene, causing a large panic.

Their battle continued as Yinglong swung the inverted curved blade side at Jia's neck, barely missing by several centimeters thanks to Jia's quick feet. Jia jabbed several times at Yinglong, each of which was blocked by the Ji. Yinglong managed to distract Jia by feinting off to the side.

While in this fight, both parties utilized feints several times, and only this time did it prove effective.

Jia fell for the feint and received a sharp blow to the bottom of her chin, knocking her back. Yinglong was about to twist her Ji in the air and strike again for a potentially harmful blow with the blades, if not for my intervention.

Dodging through the panicking spectators, I made my way to Yinglong, who didn't expect me to tackle her from behind.

I pulled her up and held her arms up so that she can't use them, however she still attacked me with her annoyingly strong elbows. "Even if you're just my type, I can't let you interfere with this cutie!"

Twice her elbows plowed into my stomach and chest, knocking the wind out of me painfully, but I persevered. "Jia! NOW!"

Yinglong looked up, shocked, and saw Jia's incoming attack. Jia lifted her leg and kicked downwards, she swung a low kick at Yinglong's legs and knocking her off her feet. The Ji also fled Yinglong's hands and flew off in the opposite direction.

Before she dealt the final blow, Jia hesitated, for reasons all too obvious as to why. Yinglong is supposedly Jia's sister after all.

If one looked closely, they could see the resemblance between Jia and Yinglong: striking raven hair, similar facial features, I could understand these two being sisters, but not that Ddraig and Apophis. Just how many weird sisters were there?

Taking advantage of her sister's hesitance, Yinglong grabbed Jia's arms and pulled her over her head in a bizarre wrestling move. She mercilessly struck Jia's body with deadly hands. I could barely see any movement from Jia, though I knew she was alive because Yinglong was supposed to keep her alive. I stood there, practically shell-shocked from the situation. "Now, cute boy, I did say you're my type... But I never gave you permission to assault my body. Pay..."

Yinglong stared at me coldly, completely different from her blank cheeriness from before. She reached for me neck, faster than I could react, and grabbed on forcefully. With my airways clogged, I desperately grabbed for air, despite not being able to acquire any. Showing that she could do even more, Yinglong lifted me up with her unnatural strength as I dangled helplessly in the air being asphyxiated. Well, I could think of worse ways to die.

Still, I realized at that moment how incredibly unpleasant it was to die by someone's hands, even if they belonged to a pretty girl. Slowly, I could feel darkness begin to envelop my eyes; they slowly began to close due to a lack of oxygen. Eventually, I became unconscious right at the moment I was saved.

A sharp spear tip protruded from Yinglong's chest, in between her bosom. Blood sprayed on my clothes as I saw who did it, Jia.

Breathing heavily and covered in her own blood, Jia stabbed Yinglong with the tip of Yinglong's Ji.

Still, it was a second too late. My body felt like snowflakes was falling on my face and body. Dying didn't feel like it should, especially in the summer, it felt like winter.

-

Y Ddraig Goch and her sister, Apophis, were staring at the scene before them.

Police tape had enclosed the area as numerous officers and detectives were scouring the area for evidence. Some paramedics were seen loading the body of their sister, Yinglong, onto the ambulance, they apparently thought, despite her lack of breathing, she was still alive.

Of course she was. Yinglong, one of their sisters, would not die from a simple stab wound. None of them would, even their weakest sister.

"Do you think the boy did this?" Asked Ddraig.